Taste of persimmon

[moonlike]

Hi
Could you kindly let me know the word that's used to describe the taste of a persimmon when it's still not ripe enough. I've tried but I haven't found a good word for that.
Thanks a million

 

[Tdol]

How about sharp?

 

[moonlike]

How about sharp?

Don't we use sharp to mean it's got an acidic type of taste?
Thanks.

 

[BobSmith]

I have no idea what the taste of an unripe persimmon is like, but I'll guess "bitter".

 

[magimagicE]

Unripe persimmon, much like crab apples or a dry white wine, has the effect of drying the palate.

It's not as sour as a lemon or as bitter as a bitter melon.

So, the best description I can think of is that it has a "tart" taste. The word "taut" is some times used in place of "tart".


Adults who have been scrumping for apples/pears/plums/grapes in their childhood will be well familiar with that particular taste sensation.

If you are from an oriental country, then you will know to eat "tart" fruits with a dash of salt to minimise the taste effects.


 

[emsr2d2]

I like "tart" for this description but I have never heard "taut" used as an alternative.

 

[Tdol]

Tart is much better than my suggestion. ;-)

 

[moonlike]

Hi
Today I heard "astringent" from my colleagues. I checked the meaning in Webster-dictionary.org (it seems this meaning can be found in a Webster dictionary, because I didn't find it in Oxford).

Astringency :a sharp astringent taste; the taste experience when a substance causes the mouth to pucker (I found it in thefreedictionary.com)

Astringent (adj):

drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; astringent taste; astringent fruit. Thanks

 

[emsr2d2]

You didn't find the word "astringent" in the OED?!

 

[5jj]

You didn't find the word "astringent" in the OED?!

It's there - and in the COD and the OALD.

 

[BobK]

[tangent]
Moonlike - others too, maybe - may be interested to know that the word for 'peach' in many Romance languages - pêche (Fr), pesca (It), pêssego (Pg), but not Spanish [melocotón - which prefers the image of a furry apple] - is derived from an abbreviation of the Latin for 'Persian apple'.
[/tangent]
[backOnTopic]
I prefer 'tart' to 'astringent' in this context. 'Tart' (as an adjective) is always about taste, whereas 'astringent' is less specific; for example shaving lotions are often astringent.
[/backOnTopic] ;-)

b

 

[emsr2d2]

[tangent]
Moonlike - others too, maybe - may be interested to know that the word for 'peach' in many Romance languages - pêche (Fr), pesca (It), pêssego (Pg), but not Spanish [melocotón - which prefers the image of a furry apple] - is derived from an abbreviation of the Latin for 'Persian apple'.
[/tangent]
[backOnTopic]
I prefer 'tart' to 'astringent' in this context. 'Tart' (as an adjective) is always about taste, whereas 'astringent' is less specific; for example shaving lotions are often astringent.
[/backOnTopic] ;-)

b

I agree about "tart" and "astringent". Astringent makes me think of things like witch hazel, toner and other toiletries. I've never used it to describe taste.

 

[moonlike]

Hi
Sorry, I think a misunderstanding happened, I couldn't find that clear meaning (which clearly defines the taste) in OALD, CALD or LAAD. I found these meanings for astringent:
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary: severe, describes something that acts as an astringent (astringent: a drug or cream that causes the skin or other tissue to tighten so that the flow of blood or other liquids stops).
Longaman Advanced American Dictionary: 1. criticizing someone very severely. 2.able to make your skin less oily or stop a wound from bleeding 3. having an acid taste like a lemon. (it doesn't exactly clarify it dries the tissues, makes a contraction and draw together the tissues)
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary: (the third meaning) of a taste or smell, slightly bitter but fresh.
I think the ones that I found and mentioned before clarifies this meaning better.
Could you kindly help me and tell me if it can be a good word to refer to the taste of an unripe persimmon? Does it sound natural to you as an English native speaker?
Thanks a billion.

 

[emsr2d2]

As I don't think I have ever tasted a ripe persimmon, let alone an unripe one, I can only repeat what I said in my previous post - astringent is not a word I have ever used to describe the taste of anything (and I don't think I've heard it used in that context).

 

[Esredux]

astringent, chalky, bitter and foul
though tastes differ of course ;-)

Persimmon
Judging the Ripeness of Persimmons